Carlos Sainz willing to help Charles Leclerc in Sergio Perez fight
Sainz #Sainz
Carlos Sainz has given his thoughts on potentially helping Charles Leclerc in the fight for P2 in the Drivers’ standings as he goes up against Sergio Perez.
F1’s season finale takes place later on today as the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi hosts the final round of this year’s championship.
It’s certainly going to prove a far less dramatic Grand Prix to last year’s edition, where Max Verstappen infamously took the title on the final lap, but there are still fights and scores to be settled before the chequered flag is flown later on today.
One of those battles sees Leclerc and Perez fighting for P2 in the Drivers’ standings, with the Monegasque and the Mexican level on 290 points apiece, though the Ferrari driver is ahead in the table thanks to the fact he has more race wins in 2022.
Perez starts today’s race ahead of Leclerc on the grid, however, and so is best placed to try and take second in the championship, whilst the two Ferrari cars of Leclerc and Sainz line up in P3 and P4 respectively, just in front of the two Mercedes cars who are aiming to try and leapfrog the Scuderia in the Constructors’ standings.
Lots at stake, then, and Sainz has said he will help Leclerc if needed.
Speaking to the press on Saturday after qualifying here in Abu Dhabi, the Spaniard said:
“I think if he needs it I will give him a hand but I guess first he needs to beat Checo himself in the Championship.
“I’ll focus on my own race and trying to finish the season with a podium or on a high, and if the team ask me to let him by or help him in the fight with Checo I will do so.”
Sainz also made the point that Ferrari need to make sure they beat Mercedes in the team standings, and suggested that the team will need to take the race from moment to moment, rather than planning ahead.
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